PROTECTED MAN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 177, 26 June 1935, Page 2

PROTECTED MAN

REMARKABLE ASPECT. MR PENNY’S. EXPERIMENTS. DANGEROUS WORK, AUCKLAND, June 24. For some years Mr Victor Penny, the garage attendant who is the central figure in Auckland’s “mystery drama,]’’ has taken an intense interest in radio and electricity. He has made several inventions, one or more ot which he has submitted to the British AVar Office and the Admiralty. His laboratory or workroom contains a very large quantity of equipment, including, it is believed, completed or partly completed models of mechanical devices of his own invention. It is this equipment and plant which are being guarded by the police. AA’hile the police will give no information—and, indeed, only a very few are in a position to give it—it is known that they are taking a most serious view of last Wednesday night’s assault on Mr Penny. It is believed that secret investigations had been made in Auckland, prior to Ihe assault on Penny, by SubInspector H. Scott, who is attached to the office of the Commissioner of Police in Wellington. Mr Scott, like his senior officer, Inspector J. Cummings, also of the Commissioner’s office, is a most expetienccd investigator and is only entrusted with political and other inquiries of an important nature. One report in circulation is that on© of Mr Penny’s inventions is so revolutionary in effect that it would be sought after by a foreign Power and that the reason high police officials are making secret inquiries in Auckland is that the whole affair has an international significance. Colonel AV. D. Holgate, chairman of directors of Devonport Steam Ferry Company and its subsidiary company, the North Shore Transport Company, Mr Victor Penny’s employers, was able to throw some light on the mystery when he was seen by a reporter. “I have employed Penny for almost three years,” he said. “Until last January, he was employed as my chauffeur. In January I put him in a position at the company’s bus depot atTakapuna. He then removed from the flat which he and his wife and accupied over my garage at my home in VVynyard Street, to his present house in Napier Avenue.” Colonel Holgate described Penny as a most reliable, faithful and respectable man. “Ever since I have known him, he has been steeped in radio and other experimenting work,” lie said. “So much so, that he neglects himself for his experiments, which seemed to take all his time. I made available for him a large garage at my residence so that he could carry out his experiments. I liave seen him there until midnight on many occasions, and always working hard. He had much gear there, and was often visited bv welldressed men, who came in motor cars.

AN INVISIBLE’RAY. “Late last year he told me of his invention of a new type of condenser microphone with built-in pre-ampli-fier,” continued Colonel Holgate. “He showed me an agreement in connection with the sale of this invention and, at my request, 1 referred him to a friend of mine who is a principal of one of the leading firms of barristers and solicitors in Auckland. 1 understand the barrister's advice to Mr Penny was that ho should not dispose of his invention.” Colonel Holgate said he knew that Mr Penny had been experimenting with an invisible ray on the same principle as the “death ray,’ of which so much has recently been heard in Europe. Mr Penny had discovered that this invention would explode a. box of matches 16 feet away from the apparatus be was experimenting with. Ho did not carry on with the experiment, as lie was unable to control the plant which he was using. “On one occasion some months ago I asked Mr Penny, how he was getting on with the invention,” continued Colonel Holgate. “He said to me ‘Oil they have got me set.’ He did not’ make it clear to mo whom he meant by ‘they.’ ” The head of the legal firm whom Mr Penny consulted said he was much impressed with Mr Penny and his inventions. “Six months ago he told me that quite by accident he exploded a box of matches with an invisible electric ray with which, he was experimenting,” said the barrister. “He could hardly believe his senses and tried the thing over and over again until he exploded another box of, matches. TOO DANGEROUS. “Mr Penny also told me that the experiment was becoming too dangerous as he could not control the apparatus. He said it was only fear which made him discontinue the experiments, as the electrical equipment had a backward as well as a forward ‘kick’ in it. I know he also experimented and successfully blew up cordite which was buried two feetin the ground.” Mr James Spear, of Takapuna, who is interested with Mr Penny in the production of a condenser microphone, said that he, too, was greatly impressed with Mr Penny’s qualifications, and since January lie had had a business agreement with Mr Penny, whom he was assisting. Mr Spear said that he knew that Mr Penny had made a model of a compass to be used in submarines, the main feature being to allow tho submarine to use the compass below water for steering, thereby, saving the ship from breaking tho surface to take bearings. “Mr Penny told me some time ago that he sent the model, together with full plans and specifications to tho British Admiralty and that the Admiralty later returned them with thanks, 'stating that they were already working on a similar invention,'” said Mr Spear. “He was terribly disappointed at the result and then smashed the model with an axe when it was returned to him.”